


people who find us

by rib14



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, i love post-canon jaceaddax in a shocking turn of events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29122641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rib14/pseuds/rib14
Summary: it's more postcanon jaceaddax! a secret samol gift for @sunflowersnips on twitter!
Relationships: Addax Dawn/Jace Rethal
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	people who find us

The problem with being married to a college professor slash war hero brought back from the dead is that it’s far too easy for people to find you on the mesh.

Addax thoroughly enjoyed his anonymity as an agent of the Rapid Evening; he had no desire to stay in the public eye—candidateship since he was seven years old was quite enough, thank you very much. But things had changed for Addax quite a bit since he began his work at the Evening as a traumatized ex-candidate. He learned how to pilot the intensely complicated Fairchild mechs, a giant evil robot was unearthed on Ionias, he got a few promotions, the giant evil robot was defeated… oh, and Jace Rethal was alive.

Jace was more than alive, he was  _ beautiful _ and  _ amazing _ and willing to try again, which was more than Addax could let himself dream of. And try again they did.

So now, 25 years after the end of the Golden War and 10 years after the defeat of Rigor, Addax Rethal-Dawn, Lilac Duke of the Principality of Kesh, was living in a small house just outside the campus of the newly revitalized Glimmer Intergalactic University, his husband’s place of work. 

They had been living there for almost four years now, after Jace got a call from the dean asking him to be a part of their fledgling philosophy department. Jace couldn’t pass up the opportunity to create something new, so they moved across the entire Golden Branch Sector—and Addax finally quit the Evening, something he’d been contemplating for years—to start a new life, together. 

But this is where that problem comes in. Jace had never hidden his identity when he was in school and teaching classes on Torru and Kesh, but he tried his best to keep his head low—stayed out of the spotlight, didn’t mention his past, had his students call him Dr. Dawn. Sure, people figured out who he was, but they usually understood he didn’t want to make a big deal about it. 

Glimmer U, however, very much wanted to make a big deal out of it. What better way to attract students than advertising your cool war hero philosophy professor? Jace wouldn’t agree to be in any photos for them, but whoever was running their social media made sure to mention the illustrious Dr. Jace Rethal-Dawn by full name every time the philosophy department was mentioned. It infuriated Addax, but Jace always calmed him down before he could deliver on his threat to barge into the dean’s office and demand recompense.

“This was always going to happen eventually,” Jace would say. “I want to write a book and give talks and stuff someday, you know? People were always going to find out who I am. And besides, Mako Trig just responded to this post to congratulate me. Isn’t that nice?”

Addax sighs. “That is nice.”

But a kind word from Addax’s old RE mentee was not the end.

Once, Jace got a very kind message from a girl named Plateau on Vox—apparently a group of teenagers on the mesh have become very…  _ interested _ in Jace Rethal, Oricon pilot. Because what else are you supposed to do in history class, Addax hypothesized. And it was her best friend’s birthday soon, so she wanted Jace to sign a piece of fanart she drew, to give to her friend. He graciously accepted, grinning proudly as he showed Addax her message back to him with a thousand “thank you”s and exclamation points. 

It seemed like Plateau underestimated the time that interplanetary shipping takes, but they were sure her friend would still be excited for their gift a few months late. 

Another time, they received a message from an executive at Petrichor Automedia, asking for their consultation on a new film based on the end of the Golden War. 

“Not our permission, though,” Jace was quick to point out.

The two of them did consider it, for a moment—the production was going to partially be on site on Counterweight, and they hadn’t been back there in years. But they both decided they would rather go back under… less uncomfortable circumstances. Jace had already relived those moments enough, and he knew Petrichor wouldn’t care about any of the “historical accuracy” that really mattered, and they certainly wouldn’t tolerate his waxing philosophical about the inherent politics of storytelling.

They were, however, happy to be flown in for the intergalactic premiere of  _ A Solemn Vow: The Last Stand of the Seventh Son _ in Centralia. There’s a beautiful theater right outside of Memorial Square, now owned by Petrichor.

The day after, Jace and Addax wear their least conspicuous clothes and spend a few hours just sitting there, in the Square. Time is… strange. It’s been 15 years since that day they reunited, but it feels like an infinity and it feels like yesterday. They don’t say much at first, just hold tightly to each other’s hands, pointing out the things they remember and the things that have changed.

“What was that thing you wrote about me in that journal entry, Addax? That I’m your  _ one vice _ ? Was that it?” Jace asks, dropping his voice in a mock gruff tone.

Addax looks down sheepishly. “I—”

Jace smiles at him. “You’re a dork, I know.” He pauses, furrowing his brow. “I don’t think they captured that in the movie.”

Addax smiles back. “Really? You don’t think the ultra-serious guy who was mostly on screen solemnly surveying other people from his divine captured who I really am?”

“I mean… it wasn’t totally wrong…” 

Addax laughs. And to be fair, he’s done that a lot more the last 15 years than he did before.

Jace beams proudly, like he was thinking that too. “Alright, we should probably get ready for dinner with Aria, Jacqui and Jamil.”

“Mako couldn’t make it?”

Jace nods. “Aria told me last night at the premiere. He flew out to another dome last night on a lead, I guess.”

“That’s a shame.”

Jace shrugs. A pause. “Speaking of strati, though, I started planning my course on the epistemology of divines and strati on the flight here when you fell asleep, and I have some  _ great _ readings lined up…” 

Addax smiles fondly. “You can tell me all about it on our walk back to the hotel.”

They each take another moment to take everything in, taking each other’s hands, and once again leave Memorial Square behind.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> hey thanks for reading! find me on twitter @jaceaddax!


End file.
